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Monday, September 19, 2011

Every Item Tells a Story

The subtitle on this blog as well as on my price tags is, every item tells a story. My vision is that I will write a little something about each item I sell which will make for some (hopefully!) interesting reading. Sort of like a mini version of the old J. Peterman catalog, if you're old enough to remember J. Peterman and if you're not, go watch some old episodes of Seinfeld. Did you know that the J. Peterman catalog still exists? It's entertaining reading.

But that subtitle isn't just about making good reading for customers or trying to make a sale. I truly believe that all antiques and vintage items do tell a story. That's why I love them. Especially the ones handed down to me. Sometimes I look at some of the dishes that belonged to my great grandmother and think, I wonder how many times she used this...or did she save it for special occasions? Or the monogrammed linen napkins that I use for everyday because EVERY DAY IS A SPECIAL OCCASION. I wonder who bought the napkins. Were they a wedding gift?

Take this vintage church pew I purchased for example:

I stripped off all the old paint (three layers) and sanded and re-painted and waxed it. It was a labor of love. But while I was doing all this, I kept thinking, What kind of stories could you tell? Did mourners sit on you at a funeral? Did proud parents sit on your edge with excitement over the baptism of their first child? How many prayers did you get to hear? That's why I'm doing what I do. Because I love a good story. Who doesn't?